St. Landry democrat., 1887-01-15
HOW PLANTERS ARE ROBBED.
Sugar Bowl.

Sugar BOWL.
Such Incidents as the following
are so dastardly that we feel that
the thieves should not only be pub
licly exposed, but prosecuted and
sent to the penitentiary. Both
eases come to us we'll authentica-
ted. Mr.. T. P. Himel, Of Assump-
ton, a few days ago wrote us as
follows:
| ground this season the crop of
one of my neighbors, and in No
rember the mOlasses was shipped
to the corrupt market OF New Or
leans-his share shipped to his
merchant, marked with two letters,
my share to my merchant with
plantation brand; sold the same
day, his for 2Sc. and mine for 42c.
This is no fancy sketch, but
names and dates can be given, and
would be, had our informant given
permission. We aciU give names,
however, in such cases, henceforth,
if sent us.
The second case is that Of cot
ton planter, who had tor years been
struggling to get even with a mer-
chant who had been Systematically
robbing him while he thought he
was dealing with an honest man.
He was a good planter, intelligent
and ambitious, and, instead of be
coming discouraged, as too many
do, under such burdens, he became
the more determined to free him
self of debt. At last, seeing that
this could be done ouly by the most
rigid economy, even to depriving
himself and family of many nee
essaries of life, he told his wife the
situation, and she, like all good
wives do, heartily entered into his
plans for the accomplishment OF the
great end. their liberation from
debt. He told her that one more
good crop, with the greatest econo-
my would once again give them
freedom, Most fortunately this
was accomplished. He sent several
hundred bales to New Orleans, fol
lowed the shipment and had the
supreme satisfaction, Oh settling
with his merchant, to find that he
had paid the last dollar and had a
small balance left. He then cele-
brated his victory by taking good
dinner the first for a long time,
and a strange and most fortunate
circumstance befel him. Two gen
tlemen. unknown to him, took seats
near by, and during the course of
their meal he plainly overheard
their conversation. One told the
other of purchase of fine cotton
which he had made the day before,
and gave the price. His friend
asked the mark, when the planter
was surprised to learn that it was
his OaoH. He was surprised because
the purchase price was half cent
more than his merchant had rem
dered OH his account sales. He
said nothing, but waited until they
left the place, when he stepped up
to the buyer and introduced him
self, saying it was his cotton he had
referred to, aud asked the gentle.
man for his card. This was han
ded him, when the planter asked
the gentleman if he was willing to
make oath as to the price paid and
from who purchased, when he said
" "most certainly" With this as
surance he went to his room, sat
down and made a calculation of his
probable losses, for the term Of
years he had been shipping his crop
to the scoundrelly merchant, and it |
came to $4,000. He next proceed
ed to the merchant and told him
what he had discovered, and said
he had a good mind to send him to
the penitentiary that he had care
fully estimated his losses, and !
wanted his $4,000. He got the
money, we are glad to know, and |
yet it would have been better had
such a man been sent where he be
longs. Now, unless the honest
merchants Of New Orleans and we
know there are many such Join in
the crusade against the There's in
their calling, they will fall with
them. The commercial exchanges
should adopt some means to check
such corruption.